Colorectal cancer is preventable and treatable

It’s the cancer no one likes to talk about, yet colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable cancers – and most treatable, if detected early.

As the third most common cancer in both men and women, an estimated 147,000 new cases were diagnosed in 2009. After lung cancer, colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths, with an estimated 50,000 deaths annually.

“For adults age 50 or older, regular colon screenings should begin at age 50,” said Dr. Scott Rens with the Sioux Center Community Hospital & Health Center Avera. “It’s a health screening that people are prone to put off, yet it can save lives.” In fact, the Centers for Disease Control estimate that as many as 60 percent of colorectal cancer deaths could be prevented if everyone age 50 and older were screened regularly.

Colon screenings are recommended beginning at age 50, when doctors can spot and remove polyps that may eventually become cancerous. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 90 percent of cases are diagnosed in people over 50. Earlier screening is recommended for people who have a family history of colorectal cancer.

 

Screening guidelines call for one of the following: a colonoscopy every 10 years, a flexible sigmoidoscopy or barium enema every five years, CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every five years or fecal occult blood tests every year. Colonoscopy is often a top recommendation, because it examines the entire colon, and polyps can be removed at the same time the test is performed. Because colonoscopy is offered at the Sioux Center Community Hospital & Health Center Avera, residents of Sioux County don’t have to travel to get this vital test.

“Many colon cancers come from small polyps which, over a span of 10 years, can develop into colon cancer,” said Dr. Cristina Hill Jensen, gastroenterologist with Avera Gastroenterology Clinic of Sioux Falls. According to the American College of Gastroenterology, detecting and removing polyps in their precancerous stage can prevent up to 90 percent of colorectal cancers from ever developing. Having a colonoscopy every 10 years will in most cases catch polyps before they have a chance to become malignant. In fact, the American Cancer Society reports that incidence of colorectal cancer has decreased over the past two decades thanks to removal of precancerous polyps.

In addition to getting regular screenings, you can lower your risk of colorectal cancer.

• Eat a diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains

• Get plenty of physical activity

• Don’t smoke

• Maintain a healthy weight

• If you drink, drink in moderation

Even if a polyp becomes malignant – if the malignancy is found in an early stage – the cancer is very treatable surgically. When detected at an early stage, the five-year survival rate of colorectal cancer is 90 percent. Colorectal cancer that has spread beyond the colon to lymph nodes or other organs may require additional treatment of chemotherapy and radiation.

Most colon cancers are slow-growing and can be detected long before symptoms arise. However, people should see their doctor if they experience any of these symptoms:

• A change in stool patterns, such as diarrhea or constipation

• A feeling that your bowel is not completely empty after a bowel movement

• Bright red or very dark blood in your stools

• Stools that are narrower than usual

• Frequent gas pains or cramps; feeling full or bloated

• Nausea or vomiting

• Frequent fatigue

• Unexplained weight loss

Although abdominal pain is also a symptom, colorectal cancer does not usually cause pain in the early stages, so don’t wait to feel pain to see a doctor if you are experiencing the above symptoms.

To find out if you might be at risk for colon cancer, take a free online risk assessment at www.AveraCancer.org.